


The Old Man in the Woods

by sidhe_faerie



Series: Merlin Writers' Trope Bingo 2015 [16]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-04
Updated: 2015-08-04
Packaged: 2018-04-12 23:06:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4498128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sidhe_faerie/pseuds/sidhe_faerie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Car trouble leads to an interesting discovory</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Old Man in the Woods

**Author:** [](http://sidhe-faerie.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://sidhe-faerie.livejournal.com/)**sidhe_faerie**  
**Title:** The Old Man in the Woods  
**Rating:** G  
**Pairing:** Arthur/Gwen  
**Word Count:** 1064  
**Trope:** Stranded  
**Summary:** Car trouble leads to an interesting discovory  
**Warnings:** none  
**Written for Merlin Writers' Trope Bingo**

Deep in the wilds of Wales, Arthur and Gwen were heading down a small road on their way home from a holiday. Suddenly, the car shut off and rolled to a stop.

Gwen looked at Arthur. "What happened? Is it out of petrol?"

"No. The tank is half full." Arthur tapped on the gauge. "I have no idea what's wrong." 

"Maybe it overheated." Gwen suggested. 

"The light didn't come on. None of the lights came on." Arthur said. He pulled out his phone and frowned at the 'no signal' message. "Do you have a signal?"

Gwen took her phone out of her bag. "No. I suppose we should push the car off the road and go find a house to call a tow." 

Arthur looked around. "I don't see a house. I don't even remember seeing one since we turned off."

"I thought you'd been this way before. You said this was a shortcut." Gwen glared at him. "We could be stuck here for a while." 

"It looked shorter on the map." Arthur said. 

"Elyan didn't tell you to come this way, did he?" Gwen asked. "He's terrible at directions. He's even worse than you." 

Arthur sighed. "I'm not lost. We broke down." 

"This time." Gwen looked out the window. "Arthur, there's smoke over there." 

Arthur opened the car door. "Let's get the car off the road then we'll check that out. You steer and I'll push." 

Gwen opened her door and went to the driver's seat. Arthur went to the back of the car to push. It took some effort to get it off the road but they got it off into the grass finally. 

Gwen grabbed her bag and locked up the car. Arthur met her at the car door. 

"I don't see a road or a path. I wonder how we get there." Gwen said. 

"I guess we just have to make our own way. It will be dark soon. We had better hurry." Arthur took her hand and they started walking. 

They walked almost an hour before they came into a clearing. There was a small cottage in the center of the clearing. There was a light inside. 

"Finally." Arthur mumbled under his breath and started to walk to the cottage. 

"Wait! There could be an ax murderer in there." Gwen whispered.

"Madam, I assure you, I'm not an ax murderer." An old man with long white hair and beard walked out of the woods near them. He was carrying a basket full of herbs and mushrooms. "I'm just an old man." 

They turned to look at him. Arthur and Gwen looked at each other and then back at the old man.

“Hello. we need your help.” Gwen smiled.

"Our car stalled out on the road." Arthur told him. "We were wondering if we could use your telephone."

“I have no telephone. They are loathsome devices.” The old man laughed. “They ring and ring and they never bring me any peace.” 

“Maybe the peace you seek doesn’t exist.” Arthur said. 

“Maybe. Maybe it does.” The old man said. “I am Emrys. Who might the two of you be?”

“We are Arthur and Guinevere Pendragon.” Arthur said. “We took this shortcut on our way back from holiday.” 

Emrys smiled. “A romantic holiday I would imagine. If I were in the company of a beautiful woman, that would be what I would do.”

Arthur raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“I meant no offense.” Emrys bowed his head. “Come sit around my table and I will prepare food for us.” 

Gwen grabbed Arthur’s hand and they followed the old man inside. 

Inside the small cottage, there was a ragged banner on the wall. Arthur stood in front of it and frowned. 

“This looks familiar.”  Arthur reached out to touch it. 

“It should it was your battle standard, my King.” Emrys grinned. 

Arthur turned and stared at the old man. “What did you call me?”

“You are my King and she is your Queen.” Emrys walked over to where Arthur stood speechless. “Arthur of Camelot, I would be honored to be in your service again.”

“My service? I think you have been eating too many of those mushrooms old man. I am not a king and you are too old to be in anyone’s service.” Arthur scoffed. 

“Arthur.” Gwen stepped forward. She had a worried look on her face. “We just should go.” 

“Do you not recognize me, Sire?” Emrys chuckled. 

“No. Why should I?” Arthur stepped back to where Gwen was standing. 

“Maybe you will recognize me as my younger self.” Suddenly Emrys turned into a young man. “Arthur, do you know me now?”

“Merlin?” Arthur looked at Gwen. “I know him but I don’t know how.” 

Merlin grinned. “Because you have always known me, Arthur. I suppose you want me to go take a look at your car. It works now. The engine problem was only temporary. I did it to bring you here.” 

“Why?” Gwen asked. 

“It was time that I made contact. I make contact with you in every lifetime. I am glad to see Gwen has already found you. Saves time. We must find the knights. We must rebuild Camelot.” Merlin started to gather things into a bag. 

“I am not doing anything with you.” Arthur said. “I think you have been in the woods too long.” 

“Arthur, you need to listen.” Merlin stepped closer to them. “I want you to start a company to give assistance to those in need. Isn’t that what you have always wanted? To help those in need?”

Arthur looked at Gwen then back at Merlin. “That is what I want to do. We have been putting together a proposal for a nonprofit aide organization.” 

“You will need the skills of us all to do it.” Merlin said. “Let’s go.” 

Arthur nodded. “Guinevere, he may be right.” 

“This is mental. Even if we could find all of these knights, it doesn’t explain what you just did. Gwen glared at the sorcerer. “What was that?”

“Magick, My Queen.” Merlin bowed. “I have magick just as I did in the days of Camelot.”

“So we aren’t lost and this was all a plan to get us stranded out here so you could leave with us?” Gwen asked. 

“Well yes.” Merlin winced. “I suppose it is. Shall we go?”

Arthur looked at Gwen and shrugged. “Let’s go.” 


End file.
